Upgrades to the two-story, 6,500-seat stadium will include a new concourse, main entrance, and amenities galore. When the addition is completed (in time for the 2018-19 basketball season), fans will be greeted by a new lobby and hall of fame. From there, spectators can linger on a circular balcony overlooking the basketball court. Above that, Wildcats memorabilia and concessions will be for sale in a new hall.

EwingCole‘s Philadelphia office will design the project, which breaks ground in June.

“It was important to Villanova that we celebrate the uniqueness of The Pavilion while creating an unmatched Division I basketball experience for the players and the fans,” said Bill McCullough, principal of EwingCole’s sports practice, in a prepared statement. “We worked closely with administrators, coaches, staff, and alumni to create a project that reimagines the arena into a world-class, basketball-centric facility all about fan experience.”

McCullough noted that the university wanted to create a better experience not only for those fans, but for the players, too. To that end, The Pavilion, as it’s known on campus, will retain its distinctive hyperbolic paraboloid roofline but get a new front entrance at the southwest corner of the building. Augmented by better lighting and landscape design, the front lawn will provide a forum for tailgating and other pre- and post-game celebrations. Check out the gallery, above, to see what’s in store for next year.